Clinic Announces New Pain Management Program

The Menninger Clinic has announced its new pain management program, a highly individualized inpatient treatment for adults with chronic pain. Chronic pain is defined as any pain that lasts longer than three to six months.

Citing an Institute of Medicine report, Alok Madan, PhD, pictured right, director of Menninger’s pain management program, said the new program is timely as recent statistics show that 100 million adults suffer from chronic pain, costing the nation $635 billion in medical treatment and lost productivity.

“Menninger’s new pain management program is in response to the current fragmented approach to treating chronic pain. The lack of cohesive approach is frustrating for health care providers and for their patients who have not found the desired relief in any previous pain medication, treatment or intervention,” said Madan. “We know that psychological distress worsens physical pain. Our goal is to provide ultra-personalized medicine that enables each patient to develop more effective pain management strategies in a safe, protective hospital environment that meets a patient’s physical and mental health needs related to months or years of coping with pain.”

Menninger’s pain management treatment team is comprised of physicians, pain psychology specialists, psychotherapists, personal trainers, rehabilitation specialists, nutritionists and additional mental health clinicians as needed. Clinicians partner with each individual in applying therapeutic interventions for improving the patient’s life so that chronic pain is no longer the sole focus of his/her life. It can then begin to take a back seat to healthy relationships, aspirations and well-being.

Individualized exercise and mobility activities, such as Menninger’s trauma sensitive yoga program, are designed to help patients heighten their body awareness and recognize pain response. Patients can choose to participate in clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of adjunctive neuromodulatation technologies as adjunctive treatment to multi-modal inpatient care.

Menninger offers a comprehensive assessment and evidence-based treatments, which may include genetic testing to ensure that patients can properly metabolize and safely take prescription medications. The team provides safe detoxification for patients seeking to reduce or eliminate their reliance on addictive prescription medications.

“Because we have such a unique patient population at Menninger, we know that people who are depressed are more likely to be in pain and people who are in pain are more likely to be depressed,” said Ben Weinstein, MD, medical director of Menninger’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Assessment Service.

Giving patients the best chance at lasting change, Weinstein and Madan added that, upon completion of the pain management program, patients will receive personalized recommendations for ongoing care. Patients who wish to continue their care at Menninger will be referred to Menninger’s Outpatient Services, where they will receive care from many of the same distinguished clinicians who deliver Menninger’s inpatient services.

For more information about the pain management program, call Menninger’s Admissions office at 800-351-9058 or 713-275-5000.